Folding Kayaks Forum

Hi all,

So, I'm looking to be an inflatable kayak (due to having the space to have a hard shell kayak), and I'm looking for some advice.

I've narrowed it down to 3 kayaks from Gumotex (or Innova).

The kayaks I've been looking at, are the following:

Swing 1
Helios 1
Safari

But I'm a bit worried that I won't be able to fit in them properly, due my size - I'm tall, 195 cm (6'5"), weighs 87 kg (roughly 190 lbs), got relatively long legs, and uses EU size 46 in shoes.

I'll be using the kayak for rivers, lakes, bays and in genereal just padling along the coast here - no open water crossings or multiday expeditions are planned.

So, hopefully someone here will be able to give me some advice?

hi vexborg

I don't know about the Swing or the Helios, but the Safari 330XL https://www.gumotexcluny.cz/safari-330 should be fine I'd have thought. It's an open boat, so the size of your feet won't be an issue, and the foot rest has a number of different positions so you should be able to get comfortable. Doing some quick, rough and ready measurements using the pictures in that link, with the foot rest in the position shown, the distance between the front of the seat back and the footrest is 100cm, which seems quite roomy. The boat is rated for 130kg, so your 87kg will be fine. You may even find that no water comes in the bailing holes. (I have the old, old Safari which is 30cm shorter and I weigh about the same as you and water does come in - I always paddle in a wetsuit so it's no problem. The longer boat will be more buoyant, so may be drier)

I love the Safari and use mine almost exactly how you say you'll use yours. Its versatility is what makes it such a great inflatable, in my opinion. The only thing I don't like about the current boat is the seat backrest, which I find too low, but you could easily put a seat from the Seawave in if you wanted - they're not very expensive.

_________________
Barum Albatros
Gumotex Safari
Gumotex Sunny
Gumotex Scout

Thanks for the reply, but yeah, I have been considering the 330 XL - I mean, if I get wet or not, isn't really that much of a problem, as I in the summer will be padling in a wetsuit, and in the winter time, in a drysuit.

Looking at it, I'd rather be in a open kayak, that sitting cramped in a closed - or semi-closed one.

I wouldn't worry about fitting in the Safari. I am 6'2" 180lbs and have lots of space to spare in a Safari. My buddy is about your size, maybe a little heavier and paddles a ton in his older model 1 person Solar (pretty much a Safari without the self-bailing holes.)

You'd be surprised how much gear you can fit if you get creative with straps. I've packed 4 days food and water (lots of water!) and camping supplies on a Safari with room to spare.